Jowhar, Somalia – Severe flooding has struck areas of Jowhar district in the Middle Shabelle region of Somalia, displacing thousands and affecting entire communities in what experts warn is a growing sign of the country’s vulnerability to climate change.

According to the latest report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), an estimated 16,200 people have been affected since May 12 after the Shabelle River overflowed, inundating homes, farmland, and displacement sites.

The floodwaters have forced families from their homes, damaged critical infrastructure, and disrupted access to food and clean water. Humanitarian organizations warn that the situation could worsen as rainfall continues upstream and river levels remain dangerously high.

Jowhar is one of several flood-prone areas in Somalia, and repeated displacements in recent years have left communities with little time to recover. Many of the affected people had already been living in temporary shelters after previous climate-related disasters, including droughts and earlier floods.

The UN and local authorities are working to provide emergency relief, but access remains a challenge due to the scale of the flooding and damage to key roads.

Somalia, among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, is facing mounting environmental and humanitarian crises despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions. As the climate crisis deepens, calls are growing for increased international support to strengthen local adaptation, infrastructure resilience, and early warning systems.

Humanitarian actors urge immediate funding to meet the urgent needs of those displaced while pushing for long-term solutions to mitigate climate risks in riverine regions like Jowhar.